In conventional fan-assisted electric ovens, the food product placed therein is cooked by contact with forced circulation of air from the fan. Should it also be wished that the food be cooked by frying, the user must either apply a large volume of fat substance to the cooking surface at the beginning of the cooking process or repeatedly extract the vessel containing the food product, apply fat substance, and displace the food product in order to coat the cooking surface of the vessel and/or coat the food product. Should it further be wished that the food be cooked by deep-fat frying, a significant amount of fat substance is required such that the food product is completely immersed in the fat substance or the user must repeatedly extract the vessel containing the food product and mix the food product to ensure that it is evenly immersed in the fat substance.
Use of a large volume of fat substance is unhealthy, expensive and results in a product having low organoleptic properties. Fat substance used in deep-fat frying is often re-used in order to lower expense, thereby further lowering the organoleptic properties of the cooked food product. It is therefore desirable to use a lower amount of fat substance in cooking. However, repeated extraction of the vessel and application of additional fat substance and/or mixing of the food product is time consuming and poses a safety hazard due to the high thermal heat capacity of fat substance.